Ceramics and cermets have been attractive materials for golf clubs because of their hardness, wear resistance and light weight. However, the limited ductility and resistance to fracture of ceramics and cermets as well as limited joining methods for attachment to other components of golf club heads have severely limited their use.
Ceramic inserts have been attached to the face of golf clubs by the use of various non-metallic adhesives. Entire golf club heads have been fabricated from ceramics and cermets. However, these have not proved satisfactory because of early failures of the ceramic and cermet components. The dominant modes of failure have been cracking and spalling.